Singapore

Deutsche Bank celebrates Lunar New Year with Singapore Chinese Orchestra

January 2012 │ Singapore

As part of Deutsche Bank Singapore's 40th anniversary, Deutsche Bank is sponsoring a series of four lunchtime concerts performed by musicians from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) in the lobby of our Singapore office in One Raffles Quay this year. The building landlord - Raffles Quay Asset Management (RQAM), committed to creating a more vibrant workplace, supported this by sponsoring the staging of the concerts.

SCO played their first performance here on January 19, just in time to usher in the Lunar New Year. Mr Ronny Tan, Chief Country Officer of Deutsche Bank Singapore and Mr. Wilson Kwong, CEO of RQAM gave a welcome speech to kick off the lunchtime concert, titled “Spring in the Lion City”. The five orchestral pieces, each featuring various traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng, hulusi, and sheng, were specially chosen for the festive season. The lively sounds attracted a crowd at the lobby, consisting of not just Deutsche Bank staff but also passersby and other tenants in the building.

We invited some elderly folk from Care Community Services Society, a charity supported by the Bank, to enjoy the concert with us. A lunch reception was later hosted by the Bank for the elderly and the musicians. As per Chinese traditions, mandarin oranges, symbols of abundance and good fortune, were given out to the guests. Red packets were also given out to the elderly as a symbol of luck and well wishes.

The remaining three SCO lunchtime concerts will be happening on 18 April, 8 August, 28 November. These next few sessions will each have different themes so you can look forward to interesting fusion pieces by the orchestra.

The Singapore Chinese Orchestra is Singapore's only professional Chinese orchestra and has performed at prestigious concerts in Europe and Asia. Besides its role of preserving traditional Chinese arts and culture, it has successfully incorporated exotic Southeast Asian cultural forms as part of its repertoire. Under the patronage of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the SCO has established itself as an outstanding and unique orchestra.